Telephone-receiver switch.



No. 836,202. PATENTEDNOV. 20, 1906.- J. MQMAHON.

TELEPHONE RECEIVER SWITCH. APPLICATION II-LED JULY 24, 1905.

JAMES MOMAHON, OF OAKDALE, CALIFORNIA.

TELEPHONE-RECEIVER SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

Application filed July 24, 1905. Serial No. 270,988-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MOMAHON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakdale, in the county of Stanislaus and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTelephone-Receiver Switches, of which the following is a specification.

In using telephones on party-lines in which the circuit is broken orinterrupted beyond any subscriber using the instrument the break isoften prolonged beyond the actual time consumed in conversation byintentional or thoughtless failure to hang up the receiver. To reducethe interruption of the line to the actual time in which the receiver isbeing held in the hand, and thereby limit the break to the very leastpossible moment, I have devised a switch mechanism that is locatedwithin the receiver instead of in the box, as now generally used,whereby the talking-circuit will be open or normal beyond any subscriberusing the instrument except when the receiver is actually held in thehand. In this manner it makes no difference whether the instrument besuspended from the hook or not. The ringing-circuit will be closed, andthe through talking-circuit will be normally open at all times exceptwhen the receiver is being held in the hand, in which case the pressureof the hand will open the ringing-circuit and close the talking-circuit.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the referred form of embodyingmy invention; fiut it is evident that changes can be made, and I reservethe right to make all such variations and modifications as will comewithin the scope of my invention.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of atelephone-receiver embodying my invention, with the operative partsshown in their normal position. Fig. 2 is a broken view showing theparts in their operative position. Fig. 3 is a similar view of thereceiver, taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are viewsof cross-sections, taken, respectively, on lines 4 4, 5 5, and 6 6. Fig.7 is a diagrammatic view showing the receiver with its connections.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the case orbody of the receiver of a telephone, which is preferably made of rubberin the usual manner and of the usual shape and size, except that itssides may be made thicker opposite each other on the interior, as shownat 2, and provided with the inwardly-extending projections 3 and 4. Thiscauses the interior of the handle portion of the receiver to besubstantially rectangular in cross-section, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6,within which is placed the magnet 5. The forward ends of the magnet arepreferably separated by the usual diamagnet-block 6, as of lead, whichis provided with lugs 7 7, which fit in suitable recesses 8 in theprojections 3 3 to hold it and the magnet in position. Secured to orformed upon the rear end of the magnet on opposite sides of the bend, soas to register with the projections 4, 'are two projections or shoulders9 by means of which the magnet is held in position by means of screws10.

Mounted between the legs of the magnet near the rear end is a pluralityof blades which form contact points or terminals and which are insulatedfrom each other at the point of securement by suitable material 11. Abolt or screw 12 passes through perforations in the materia and throughplates 13 and 14 on opposite sides of the magnet-legs and holds theparts rigidly against movement. The forward ends of the blades extendfar enough in front of the insulating ma terial to be so flexible as tobe readily moved into or out of contact for forming the circuits, and tothe rear ends are attached the conducting-wires 15, which enter thecavity in the handle through a perforation in the cap 16 and pass overand under the end of the magnet, respectively. A knot 17 is formed inthe wires 15 to prevent their withdrawal through the ca One of theblades, as 18, is longer than the others and is adapted to contact withthe one, 19, upon one side to form the ringing-circuit and with one ofthe others, 20, upon the other side and force it into contact with theremaining one, 21, to form the talking-circuit. The movement of thelonger blade is effected by means of a pin 22, which projects inwardfrom the free end of a lever or finger-piece 23, which is pivotallysecured at its rear end in a slot 24 in the side of the case 1. Thehinge of the lever is preferably formed from a flat plate 25, which issecured to the inner face of the instrument and of the lever,respectively, by means of screws 26, which engage with bosses on theplate.

The forward end of the longer blade 18 is preferably slightly curvedtoward the slot 24 and normally engages with the blade 19 to close theringing-circuit at all times, except ICC when the lever is pressed in toclose the talking-circuit. The blade is stiff enough to normally engagewith the blade 19 and to hold the lever or finger-piece with its outersurface projecting far enough beyond the surface of the case to permitof the fingers of the hand engaging therewith and forcing it in to bendthe blade 20 out of contact with 19 and into contact with 21, andthereby open the ring ing-circuit and close the talking-circuit when thereceiver is held to the ear for listening. Contact-points 27, 28, and 29may be attached to the blades for permitting of contact with but veryslight movement of the finger-piece through the side of the case.

WVhen the receiver is not being used, the blade 18 is in contact with 19and the ringing-circuit is through wires 30 and 31, bell 32 to theline-wires 33 and 34 but as soon as the receiver is taken from itssupport to answer the call the lever 23 is pressed in and two circuitsare formed, one of which includes the blades 20 and 21, wires 35 and 36,transmitter 37, and the primary coil 38. The

other circuitincludes the blades 20 and 18, the magnet-Wires 89 and 40,and wire 80, the

wire 30 being connected with one of the linewires 33 and the Wire beingprovided with the secondary coil 41 and lcolmected with the otherline-wire 34.

From the foregoing it will be seen that" when the finger-piece on thereceiveris not pressed'in the line will not be interrupted,

whether it is-a main line or a party-line and whether'the receiver isupon its regular hook or any other support. This avoids the delay andtrouble caused by leaving the ordinary receiver off the hook, as is sofrequently the case with the instruments now in use,.and

permits of the normal use of the single instrument in a main line and ofany instru ment' of'a party-line. It also prevents the exhaustion of thebattery where a magnetogenerator is used. 7

As the complete switch is placed within the receiver, thepresent'telephone systems can be desirable to remove the magnet from thecase vthe caps at the ends are removed and the screws in the rear end ofthe magnet taken out and the entire interior mechanism slipped outthrough the front end of the case, the conducting-wires readilyfollowing by slipping through the rear cap. In this manner the switchmechanism is readily accessible for any purpose and can be quicklyreplaced.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A telephone-receiver switchcomprising a case, a magnet therein, a plurality of flexible bladesbetween the legs of the magnet, insulating material between the bladesandthe legs of the magnet respectively, part ofsaid points beingnormally in contact and part of them out of contact, and means upontheexterior of the case for automatically separating the closed contactsand closingthe separated ones. 1

2; A telephone-receiverswitch comprising a case with a perforated caponeach end, a magnet therein, means at each endfor'secur ing each end ofthe magnet in position so as to be removable through the forward end,contact-points between the legs of the magnet, means for actuating saidpoints and wires connected with the rear'ends of said points andextending through the rear cap andpro vided with means for preventingtherearward movement beyond a predeterminedp'oint.

3. A telephonereceiverswitch comprising a case having inward projectionsat each end, a magnet in the case, the rear end ofwhich is provided-withprojections, screws for securing saidprojections to the rearprojectionsof the case, a block at the forward'end of the magnet provided withrearward-extendingv projections for engagingwith the projections at theforward end of the case, switch mechanism mounted on the magnet, andwires connected with said mechanism and passed loosely through'the rearend of the case.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature,

in presence of two Witnesses, this 11th day of July, 1905.

provided with my invention by simply chang ing the present terminalconnections in the f box to direct connections and substituting j myreceiver for those in use and connecting it with the proper wires. Incase itshould be 1 JAMES MOMAHON.

Witnesses:

M. R. SEELY,

S. BOYD.

